Eye colors & Shapes – part 3

Don’t worry, this is the last part about color variations.
You can find part 1 here, and part 2 here.

Color variations
The eye color is genetically determined. Pigment-cells in the iris contain brown, black or yellow particles. Blue and green eyes are caused by reflection of light by different colored pigment.

Blue eyes
Because of the lack of pigment in blue eyes, there is more sunlight absorbed that is used to make vitamin D. That’s why cats with blue eyes are usually found in areas where there isn’t much sunlight.

Yellow eyes
This color looks the most like the eye color of wild cats. A lot of green eyes are brown or yellow first before they get their final color. Copper colored eyes often become ‘blur’ when the cat gets older.

Green eyes
Green eyes are common with breedless cats. Some breeds distinguish themselves with different shades of green. The sea colored eyes of the Chinchilla are probably an intermediate color to blue.

Kittens are born with blue eyes. The color will change when they grow older. Full grown cats can have eyes in the colors green, orange, yellow, green, copper and blue.

12 Responses to “Eye colors & Shapes – part 3”

Do they avoid the sun, though, or just not get enough of it? I was told the Siamese has dark points to retain heat in their thinner extremities – legs, tail, ears, nose (and one more ‘point’ in males, if you know what I mean!). I never thought of Thailand as being cold, though I admit to knowing nothing about their geography. Sun-seeking warmth coloration and blue eyes seems to indicate it was/is cold!

Good question! I do know that blue-eyed white cats shouldn’t be in the sun too much, because they lack pigment they can get a sunburn easily. I’ve read that ‘Siamese get their coloring from heat-sensitive melanin in their fur. The colder the part of the body, the darker the fur.’ So it sounds logic that Sun-seeking warmth coloration and blue eyes seems to indicate it was/is cold.

I couldn’t find an answer right away tho. Sorry. :( If I do know, I’ll tell you. :)

Hi!
One of our cats (we have 3) is pure white and she has one blue eye and one green eye. We were told that cats with blue eyes are usually deaf and those with just one eye would be deaf in the ear on the same side. However, there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with her hearing…especially at meal time!